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How to Plant Jasmine Minima

By M.H. Dyer; Updated September 21, 2017

Jasmine minima, (Trachelospermum asiaticum), is a woody, low-growing plant with small, glossy green foliage that will eventually spread, choking out weeds and covering the ground with a dense, green mat. Jasmine minima is a sturdy, pest-resistant, disease-resistant plant that will do well in sunlight or partial shade. Jasmine minima, also known as "Asiatic jasmine," will grow to be 6 inches tall, and can easily controlled by a once-yearly mowing or trimming.

Purchase jasmine minima at a greenhouse or nursery. Choose healthy plants with shiny, dark green foliage. Avoid plants with yellowing or brown leaves, or plants that look wilted or unhealthy.

Choose a spot in sunlight or partial shade. Although jasmine minima will grow in full shade, it will benefit from two to four hours of daily sunlight.

Work the soil before planting the jasmine minima. Remove weeds and rocks, then use a shovel or tiller to cultivate the soil to a depth of at least 8 inches. Add 2 to 3 inches of compost or peat moss to the top of the soil, then work it thoroughly into the soil. If the soil drains poorly, or if you notice that rain water tends to puddle for more than four hours, increase the amount of compost or peat moss to 5 to 6 inches.

Dig a hole no deeper than the height of the jasmine minima's root ball, and two to three times as wide. Place the plant in the hole and fill the hole with reserved soil. Plant the jasmine minima in the hole at the same soil depth in which it was planted in the container.

Water the plant deeply, and keep the ground moist for the first year. Jasmine minima is drought tolerant and, after the first year, will only need to be watered during periods of hot, dry weather.

Feed jasmine minima monthly during the growing season, using a water-soluble fertilizer. Begin fertilizing in spring, and don't fertilize after August.

Things You Will Need

Shovel or tiller

Compost or peat moss

Water-soluble fertilizer

Tips

Once jasmine minima matures, it can be trimmed with a hedge trimmer if desired. It can also be trimmed with a lawn mower set on the highest setting.

Jasmine minima can be propagated by root cuttings. Cut a 3- to 4-inch stem, with at least four leaves. Strip the leaves from the lower half, then dip the cut end in rooting hormone. Plant the stem in a small pot filled with commercial potting mixture or sand. Place the pot in indirect light and keep the soil moist. The stem should root in three to six weeks.

References

About the Author

M.H. Dyer began her writing career as a staff writer at a community newspaper and is now a full-time commercial writer. She writes about a variety of topics, with a focus on sustainable, pesticide- and herbicide-free gardening. She is an Oregon State University Master Gardener and Master Naturalist and holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative nonfiction writing.